An analysis of the physical processes and model representation of cold air damming erosion

The occurrence of Appalachian cold air damming (CAD) is often associated with significant sensible weather impacts throughout the Carolinas and Virginia.

One objective of this research is to describe the common synoptic patterns evident during the erosion period of CAD events. These synoptic erosion scenarios are representative of the physical mechanisms contributing to cold dome erosion. To accomplish this objective, 89 classical CAD events detected by the algorithm of Bailey et al. (2003) were grouped according to similarities in sea-level pressure and surface potential temperature fields. Composite maps of each group were created, resulting in five CAD erosion scenarios: (1) Northwestern Low, (2) Cold Frontal Passage, (3) Coastal Low, (4) Residual Cold Pool, and (5) Southwestern Low.

The second objective involved detailed case studies of three CAD events in order to more closely examine erosion mechanisms. The first case was an example of the Coastal Low erosion scenario, the second case was representative of the Northwestern Low erosion scenario, and erosion of the third case was multi-faceted and not clearly classifiable. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)